Pipeline liners are often used to repair and/or reinforce ruptured or weak areas in pipeline networks such as sewer systems and the like. There are many disadvantages associated with current methods of installing pipeline liners.
Pipeline liners for constant or variable diameter pipelines are typically installed using bladder systems. During installation of a pipeline liner, the bladder system is inflated to expand the pipeline liner and force it against the interior surface of the pipeline. The pipeline liner is then allowed to cure against the inner wall of the pipeline. Current bladder systems require pipeline access at the location that is to be repaired or re-enforced. Gaining access to a particular pipeline location can be difficult. Additional labor is required because the pipeline must be excavated in order to gain access at the desired location.
It is also not uncommon for a pipeline to vary in diameter along its length. Such an in-line transition in pipeline size has traditionally made it necessary for technicians to excavate at the transition point in order to install a pipeline liner. Although, expandable pipeline liner materials that accommodate the varying diameter of a pipeline are currently available, these materials become thinner when they expand to larger diameters. As a result larger diameter sections of pipelines end up with a sub standard repair because there is not enough pipeline liner material to give it strength.
Another difficult area of pipelines to repair or re-enforce is the T-junction between a main pipe to a lateral line. These junctions are typically the weakest joints in pipeline systems. Therefore, lining of these junctions is common. Current pipeline liners for T-junctions are difficult to install and require multiple steps, thus making the installation procedure time consuming for technicians. As will be appreciated, improvements to pipeline liner installation assemblies, pipeline liners and methods of installing the same are desired.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate at least one of the above described disadvantages.